It is known to provide strain relief and/or bend limitation at the end of a fibre, where the fibre enters a fitting. Devices which provide such relief or bend limitation are known for example from EP 0,260,774, from DE 3,821,017 and from GB 2,142,788.
The present invention seeks to provide a structure which cannot be bent below a critical radius, or which can only be so bent by the application of extreme external force, and which provides mechanical protection to the fibre.